Immigration advocates gather at the Statehouse in Boston in an effort to show the voting power of the immigrant community.
FILE PHOTO - People against proposed United States immigration reform gather in Boston. April 10, 2006.Immigrant advocates held a public gathering at the Massachusetts Statehouse on Wednesday for the 15th annual “Immigrant Day.”
Many immigrants from across the state, including the surrounding areas, attended the rally in an effort to demonstrate the voting power of the immigrant population.
Immigration rights advocates have voiced their opinions loudly and clearly recently. In December advocates were planning a rally at the statehouse in order to protest a decision made by Gov. Deval Patrick to join a federal program which checks the immigration status of individuals who are arrested.
In February, after the DREAM Act was defeated at the federal level, immigration advocates refocused their energy on an attempt to convince state lawmakers to reconsider a law that would allow illegal immigrant students who can prove state residency would be eligible for in-state tuition rates.
Here is what some of our readers had to say about the most recent rally by immigrant advocates:
whoknows1 says: In-state college tuition for illegal immigrants? That is without a doubt the dumbest and most insulting thing any politician could ever support. I kill myself working to put my kids through college and you want to make it free for people breaking the law? How can anybody make an argument for that? I am not against immigrants - my grandparents were immigrants - I AM AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!!! There is a right way and a wrong way to enter our country! Please support the right way! Illegal is Illegal - let's keep it that way!! Illegal immigrants should not have the same rights as citizens! NONE!!! ILLEGAL _ ILLEGAL_ ILLEGAL
pronoblem says: With all the talk of "Freedom Isn't Free" and the desire to "Liberate" people in foreign lands with TRILLIONS of war chest tax dollars you'd think that the drop in the bucket costs of education, healthcare and whatnot for the immigrants would be embraced by everyone. I don't get politics.
ThisMachineKillsFascists says: There's a lot of terrified older white people in this country. They see America getting browner and it freaks them out. Lot of 'em are Republicans, because the GOP caters to their xenophobia.
Bendell says: Soults said immigrants and their advocates intended to lobby lawmakers throughout the session now to stave off potential cuts to English language classes and health care programs for legal immigrants. come on now, I'd like to see the enrollment for the English speaking class,Probably a hand full, and court ordered may I add,I do know about their health care programs, all you have to do is walk into any emergency room to view that.
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